Intermittent-current conveyer.



I. H. WHEELOCK NTERMITTENT CURRENT CONVEYER.

APPLzcATloN FILED MAY 2z. w14.

1,178,431 Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

wrsses i I8I7 fllorneys.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE. i

JOHN H. WHEELOCK, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MODEL AND INSTRUMENT COMPANY, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

IN TERMITTENT- CURRENT CON VEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application led May 27'J 1914. Serial No. 841,401.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. WHEELOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at vWorcester, inthe county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Intermittent-Current Conveyer, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis inventionl relates to means for conveying an intermittent current controlled by moving contacts for use in various electrical appliances, such as call systems, changeable signs, and the like.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive construction by which the arcing at the several moving contact points controlling the passage of the currents will be prevented, so

vention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a device constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional View on a plane parallel with the line 2-2 and located at the left, Figs. 2 and 3 being connected by lines to indicate the wiring diagrammatically, andvFig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing another position of the parts.

The invention is shown as comprising a mechanism all arranged on a single insulating plate 10. This plate supports a frame 11 provided with clock-work 12 adapted to be operated by a crank 13 or equivalent device to turn the main shaft 14. This fur# nishes the motive power for the apparatus. This shaft 14 is mounted in bearings on brackets 15 carried by the plate and it is provided with a series of metallic disks 17 constituting current conveying members, each having teeth 18 thereon arranged in different series to provide a variety in the way of opening and closing the circuits. It is also provided with a -Inaster disk 19 having teeth 20 thereon arranged in regular order. connected with the shaft 14 on which they are fixed. On the plate are a series of brackets 22, one opposite each of the disks 17. On each of these brackets is pivoted a contact finger 23 pressed by a spring 24 toward its disk 17 but held slightly out of contact with its circular part by an adjusting screw 25. Each tooth 18 and its finger 23 together constitute a pair of contacts for completing a branch circuit.

A single bracket 27 is provided having a pivot 28 thereon on which is pivotally mounted a contact operating finger 29 for the master disk 19. This is held toward the disk by a spring 3() but kept away from intimate contact with its circular part by anadjusting screw 31. Fixed with respect to this linger 29 is'an arm 32 which has a contact 33 on the end. This is adapted to engage a stationary contact 34 carried by a bracket 35 fixed to the plate 10 and adapted to be adjusted by a screw 36. The teeth and fingers are so located that as the shaft turns, first a tooth 18 engages its finger 23, as shown in Fig. 2, then the corresponding tooth 20 lifts its finger 29 and the terminals 33 and 34 contact and complete the circuit; the finger 29 rides off the tooth 20 as shown in Fig. 4 and the circuit is broken at 33-34 and-later the tooth 18 passes beyond the iinger 23 while no current is flowing One of the brackets 15 is provided with a terminal 40, the bracket 27 is provided with a terminal 41, each of the brackets 22 is provided with an individual terminal 42, and the bracket 35 is provided with a terminal 43. Also located on the plate is a terminal 44 and a terminal 45 which is connected through a battery 46 by a wire 46 with the terminal 43.. The terminals 40 and 41 are directly connected with each other to shunt the finger 29 and prevent arcing at the breaking of its contact with the tooth 20. The terminal 44 is connected with aV selector 47 which can be of any desired kind but is provided with a plurality of wires 47 each connected with one of the terminals 42. The two terminals 44 and 45 are connected with an electro-magnet 48 also mounted on the plate 10. This magnet is provided with an armature 49 adapted to swing about a pivot 50 and normally pressed away from the cores of the magnet lby a spring 51.

The armature is provided with a spring 52 having a carbon terminal 53 thereon adapted to'eugage a similar carbon terminal 54 iixedly mounted on a bracket 55 on .the plate. This bracket is provided with a high tension terminal and the carbon terminal 53 isv connected with the other high tension terminal 5G b v a wire 57.

The operation of the device is as follows z-Upon turning the shaft 14, one finger will come into contact with the tooth 18 of the corresponding disk 17, and later the finger 29 will ride up on the corresponding tooth 20. No current will flow however until the circuit is closed at the terminals 33 and 34, by the action of the finger 29. The current will be established from the battery through contacts Sii- 34, arms 32, shunt 40 41, brackets 15, shaft 14, one of the disks 17, the finger 23 that has come into contact with its tooth18, terminals 42, selector 47 and terminal 44. It is to be observed that the linger 29 makes its contact while no current is flowing and the same is true of the several fingers 23. Consequently, no arc is made at these fingers upon the closing of the circuit and the usual difficulties due to the arcing at these points are entirely avoided. Moreover, the current is broken at the terminals 33 and 34 while a finger 23 is still in contact with its tooth so that the arcing there is entirely avoided. Arcing at this time between the nger 29 and tooth 20 is prevented by the shunt 40-41. It is to be noted that all the disks are metallically in Contact with the main shaft so they can be firmly and positively fixed thereto and no insulation troubles can arise. The circuit established through the contacts 53 and 54 can of coursebe connected up to accomplish any desired result and no particular application of this circuit is shown herein, as the particular application thereof does not constitute a part of this invention. Ordinarily it is a high tension current in comparison with that in the battery circuit.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single embodiment of the invention, I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art Without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details or the special applicaion of the invention shown and described,

What I do claim is 1. In a current conveying device, the combination of a plurality of movable electrically connected current carrying members, movable fingers adapted to contact therewith, a separate branch circuit connected with each of said ngers, a main pair of contacts adapted to open and close all of said branch circuits, and means whereby said main contacts will be closed after one of said fingers is brought into Contact with its current carrying member and the finger will remain in contact therewith after the main contacts are opened.

2. In an intermittent current conveyer, the combination of a series of members for carrying a current each having projections thereon, the projections being arranged in different orders on the different members, a contact finger for each of said members adapted to engage said projections, said members and contact fingers being relatively movable, a circuit with which said contact fingers and said current carrying members are connected, a pair of contacts connected in series with said members for opening and closing the circuit, means for closing said contacts after said fingers come into contact with their respective projections and for breaking the circuit before the fingers are disconnected from their respective projections, and means whereby arcing at the last named means is prevented.

3. In an intermittent current conveyer, the combination of a series of rotary members for carrying a current each having projections thereon, the projections being arranged in different orders on the different members, a contact finger for each of said members adapted to engage said projections in order as the members rotate, a pair of contacts connected in series with said members, means operated by the movement of said members for closing said contacts after said fingers come into contact with their respective projections, and means whereby arcing at the last named means is prevented.

4. In an intermittent current conveyer, the combination of a series of movable members for carrying a current each having projections thereon, the projections being arranged in dicrent orders on the different members, a contact finger for each of said members adapted to engage said projections as thc members move, a pair of contacts in the circuit for opening and closing the circuit, means for closing said contacts after said fingers come into contact with their respective projections and for breaking the circuit before the fingers are disconnected from their respective projections, said means comprising a master contact member electrically connected with said current carrying members and having projections corresponding with the projections on the current carrying members, and a lever adapted to engage the said projections of the master member and having means for directly operating said pairof contacts.

5. In a circuit-making and breaking device, the combination with a shaft, of a series of disks arranged on said shaft and electrically connected therewith, said disks having teeth thereon arranged differently 0n the different disks, a corresponding series of contact fingers adapted to engageV said teeth as the shaft and disks rotate, means for holding said contact fingers out of contact with their disks but in position to engage the teeth as the disks rotate, a contact in series with all of said disks, and means whereby said contact is closed after said fingers engage their respective teeth.

6. In a circuit-making and breaking device, the combination with a shaft, of a series of disks arranged on said shaft and electrically connected therewith, said disks having teeth thereon arranged differently on the different disks, a corresponding series of contact fingers adapted to engage said teeth as the shaft and disks rotate, means for holding said contact fingers out of contact with their disks but in position to engage the teeth as the disks rotate, a master disk mounted on said shaft and electrically connected therewith and having a series of teeth at the same angular distance apart as the series of teeth on the lseries of disks, a-

movable Contact finger adapted to engage the teeth on the master disk, a contact in series with all of said disks and means operated by the last named linger whereby said contact in series with all of said disks is closed after said fingers engage their respective teeth and is opened before the first named fingers pass from their respective teeth.

7. In a circuit-making and breaking device, the combination with a shaft, of a series of disks arranged'on said shaft and electrically connected therewith, said disks having teeth thereon arranged differently on the different disks, a corresponding series of contact fingers adapted to engage said teeth as the shaft and disks rotate, means for holding said contact ngers out of contact with their disks but in position to engage the teeth as the disks rotate, a master toothed disk rotatable with the first named disk, a finger adapted to engage the teeth of the master disk, a contact in series with all of the first named disks, means whereby said contact is closed after said fingers engage their respective teeth, and is opened before the first named fingers pass from their respective teeth, and means for preventing arcing between the master disk and its finger. Y

8. In a circuit making and breaking device. the combination of a plurality of current carrying members, a series of fingers, said members and fingers being relatively movable to bring about contacts between them, a series of branch circuits, one connected with each of said fingers, a main pair of contacts constructed and arranged to open and close all of said branch circuits, and means whereby said main contacts will be closed after one of said fingers and its current carrying member come into contact and will be opened before their contact is broken.

9. In an electrical connecting device, the combination with an electrical circuit and a plurality of branch circuits connected therewith, of a plurality of pairs of contact members, one pair being located in each branch circuit, a pair of terminals in series with all the branch circuits whereby said terminals must be brought into contact in order to complete a circuit through any of said branches, and means whereby said terminals are prevented from being brought together except when a pair of the first mentioned contact members are in contact and are separated while a pair of the first mentioned contacts are in contact.

10. In an electrical connecting device, the combination with an electrical circuit and a plurality of branch circuits connected therewith, of a plurality of pairs of contact members, one pair being located in each branch circuit, means whereby said contact members of lthe respective pairsV can be brought together, the circuit having a pair of terminals in series with all the branch circuits whereby said terminals must be brought into contact in order to complete a circuit through any of said branches, and means whereby said terminals are prevented from being broughtv together except when a pair of the first mentioned contact members v are in contact and for moving said terminals apart before the previously closed contact members are separated, whereby the spark will always occur at said terminals.

11. In an electrical connecting device, the combination with an electrical circuit and a plurality of branch circuits connected therewith, of a' plurality of pairs of contact members, one pair being located in each branch circuit, the circuit having a pair of terminals in series with all the branch circuits whereby said terminals must be brought into contact in order to complete a circuit through any of said branches, a pair of relatively movable contact points having connections for preventing said terminals from being brought together except when a pair of the first mentioned contact members are in contact, and a shunt for preventing sparking at the last named contact points.

12. In a current conveyer, the combination with a main line and aseries of branch circuits therein, of means for opening and closing said branch circuits individually and in order, a pair of contacts in said main line, means. for periodically closing and opening said contacts timed relatively to the operation of the branch circuit opening and closing means to prevent the opening of a branch circuit when it is alive and when it 'is conducting the entire current, whereby arcing at said branch "circuit opening and closmg means 1s avoided.

13. In a current conveyer, the combination with a main line and a series of branch circuits therein, of means for opening and closing said branch circuits individually and in order, a pair of contacts in said main line, means for periodically closing and opening said contacts timed relatively to the operation of the branch circuit opening and closing means to prevent the closing of a branch circuit to complete it when no parallel circuit is alive, whereby arcing at said branch circuit opening and closing means is avoided.

14. In a current conveyer, the combination with a main line and a series of branch circuits therein, of means for opening and closing said branch circuits individually, a pair of contacts in said main line, means for periodically closing and opening said contacts timed relatively to the operation of the branch circuit opening and closing means to prevent the opening of a branch circuit when it is alive and when no other parallel current is flowing and to pre ent the closing of a branch circuit to complete it when no other parellel current is flowing, whereby arcing at said branch circuit opening and closing means is avoided.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. WHEELOCK.

Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FAY, C. FoRnEs'r WEssoN. 

